Brain Structures and Functions

Meninges

membranes located between bone and soft tissues of the nervous system

Term A

Dura mater

• outermost layer

• blood vessels

Term B

Arachnoid mater

• in-between layer

• no blood vessels

• resembles spider web

Term C

Pia mater

• inner membrane

• contains nerves and blood vessels to nourish cells

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

• clear liquid between arachnoid and pia mater

• delivers nutrients and clears away waste

• spinal tap samples CSF for discoloration to diagnose infections

Frontal lobe

• memory formation

• emotions

• decision making/reasoning

• personality

Parietal lobe

• senses and integrates sensation

• spatial awareness and perception

  • proprioception: awareness of body/body parts in relation to one another

Occipital lobe

• processing, integration, interpretation etc of VISION

Temporal lobe

• hearing

• balance

• organization/comprehension of language

• memory and memory formation

Term A

Gyrus

Term B

Gyrus

Term C

Fissure

Cerebral cortex

outermost portion of cerebrum, the part with all the wrinkles

ventricles

fluid filled cavities; contain CSF

Broca’s area

• controls facial neurons, speech, and language comprehension

• located on left frontal lobe

Broca’s aphasia

• decreased motor ability (or inability) to speak and form words

BUT

• can comprehend speech

Orange area

wernicke’s area

• Language comprehension.

• Located on the Left Temporal Lobe.

Wernicke’s aphasia

• language comprehension inhibited

BUT

• motor ability to form words kept. HOWEVER, words and sentences are often nonsensical.

Corpus Callosum 

connects the two hemispheres 

Diencephalon

Has 2 parts:

1. Hypothalamus
2. Thalamus

hypothalamus

• hormones, heart rate, blood pressure, body temp, hunger, attaches to pituitary

thalamus

• main relay station

midbrain

• visual reflexes, eye movements

pituitary gland

• master gland of endocrine system; controls hormones

hippocampus

• controls memories, emotions and autonomic nervous system

pons

• relay sensory information

medulla oblongata

• heart, respiration, blood pressure

brain stem

• regulates visceral functions (autonomic system)

cerebellum

• balance and coordination

arbor vitae

• white matter in cerebellum

• tree-like appearance

concussion

• a mild traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that causes the brain to move rapidly within the skull

• three categories:

  • grade 1 (transient confusion and no LOC. mental status abnormalities for <15 min)

  • grade 2 (transient confusion & no LOC. mental status abnormalities for >15 min)

  • grade 3 (Any LOC brief or prolonged (seconds, minutes or longer))